7 Steps for Healthy Skin This Summer

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You must have heard that the heat will feel as if it’s a 64 degrees Celsius these days in Dubai, the walking distance from the parking lot to the building is hot enough to make sure you’re well done. Even as you’re busy stocking up on fluids and eating healthy, it is important that you keep a couple of things in mind, to keep your skin healthy in this harsh heat. Here are a few tips our skin care experts at Kaya Skin Clinic to maintain that summer glow without compromising your healthy skin.

Tip # 1 – Make sunscreen an obsession. Look for products that offer protection against both UVA and UVB radiation and have a minimum SPF of 30. Make it a daily ritual to apply generous amounts of this magic potion 20 minutes before you step out. You need to re-apply the product every few hours or as and when needed to ensure maximum efficiency.

Tip # 2 – Wear more than just sunscreen. Put on clothes with full sleeves, walk under an umbrella or wear a nice, big hat because sunscreen, while it does help, cannot offer 100% protection.

Tip # 3 – Moisturize, moisturize and moisturize more. If you thought this is only a winter activity, you’re wrong. Your skin needs it round the year. But moisturizer that works like magic in winter won’t produce the same results in summer. You need something that is light, less oily and powered with enough SPF. While you’re at it, look for an eye cream and lip balm too; after all, you wouldn’t want the best features of your face to succumb to sun damage.

Tip # 4 – Cleanse like there’s no tomorrow but do check your cleanser for salicylic or glycolic acid. The oil build up during summer and the breakouts that follow can be controlled by the presence of one of these two acids. Keeping your skin clean is one of the key to avoiding undesirable sun damage.

Tip # 5 – Make a style statement with hats and sunglasses this summer. Not only will these shield your face (where your skin is the thinnest and most vulnerable to damage) from harmful UV radiation but they also make for the perfect non-chemical approach to summer skin care. So when you go sunglasses-shopping, make sure you pick one that offers maximum protection against UV light.

Tip # 6 – Switch to health mode this summer by keeping your skin hydrated with plenty of water. 8 – 10 glasses a day is a must, nothing less. Those cheeseburgers, fries and pizzas have got to go if you can’t curb your urges. Colorful, green veggies and fruit are the sort of best friends your skin needs this summer. They’re the best friends your skin needs all year round.

Tip # 7 – And lastly, try to avoid the outdoors between 10 am and 4 pm. The UV light is the strongest between these hours and that makes your skin susceptible to greater damage. However, if you must step out, read Tip #1 above.

The sun’s not all bad, the fact remains that too little can leave you with a Vitamin D deficiency. And if you thought that a vitamin deficiency is way more acceptable than skin problems, you need to think again. As your Vitamin D levels drop, you become more susceptible to unmanageable bone pain, muscle weakness and severe cardiovascular diseases and cancer increases.

So while the sun may make you look and feel great in the short term, the long-term effects of sun exposure add up to more damage than good. As long as you’re soaking up the goodness while taking the necessary precautions, you will get the best out of sun exposure and underexposure.